Kamancha maestro Sakar Khan dies

Music legend Padma Shri Sakar Khan, who took kamancha – a bowed string instrument - to the world stage, passed away on August 10. He was 77. Born in the village of Hamira in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district, he was the greatest exponent of the kamancha.

To those who love traditional music, Sakar Khan is to the kamancha what Yehudi Menuhin is to the violin. To those who subscribe to the view that the origins of several musical traditions, including the Flamenco, and later, the Blues, are to be found in the songs of the nomads who travelled West from Rajasthan many centuries ago, Sakar Khan’s music takes on a deeper meaning. Sakar Khan’s kamancha is one of the last connections to the roots that fed the branches of music across continents.

Sakarji performed with music royalty such as Lord Yehudi Menuhin, George Harrison and Sultan Khan among others. He toured Europe, the US and Asia in the 70s and 80s and continued to play his instrument to the end. As a musician and a man, Sakarji is irreplaceable -- a priceless ornament to the Indian folk tradition, and apillar to his community, Rajasthan's Muslim minstrels, the Manganiyars.

The one comforting thought is that his sons Ghewar, Firoze and Dara Khan, highly accomplished musicians who learnt from their father, will now carry his legacy forward. The tradition is alive, and will remain so for at least another generation, thanks to the lifetime Sakarji devoted to his beloved kamancha.